Power Rangers, reboots, and you


Reboots with a negative attitude


I say all of this so you can better understand where I'm coming from. I'm not some fan who doesn't want his favorite thing changed, nor do I have nostalgic fondness for a show I used to watch. I have been consistently invested in a show for children, and realize I'm no longer who the series is intended for. But after seeing news of the reboot and the designs of the suits themselves, that's not exactly the full truth anymore. As Lionsgate and Saban come up with "cooler" designs, they're losing the spark that made the Power Rangers charming to begin with. 

It might be crazy to write about a film I haven't seen footage of, but I'm just worried. As it stands, Power Rangers isn't a movie for you, for me, and especially not for your kids. If these pictures and designs don't look good in motion or offer up anything more than face value, it won't last after opening week.

We are currently in the midst of a 90s nostalgia boom. Just as the last decade was obsessed with capturing the vibe of the 80s, the 2010s have seen an increase in 90s pop culture revivals. Because "90s kids" like myself have grown into a subculture with true buying power, cinema is trying its best to cater to that market. Which means properties you used to love as a kid now have a chance of coming back. I'm sure you've seen some of the fruits of nostalgia lately: a new Powerpuff Girls series, Samurai Jack returning to Cartoon Network, Hey Arnold returning to Nickelodeon for a TV movie, Space Jam finally getting that sequel, Gilmore Girls' new season, Fuller House and Netflix's upcoming slate in general. It has gotten so ridiculous there is even talk of more Star KidCruel Intentions and The Craft. If you saw it on VHS as a kid, there's probably a new version of it in the works. 



With the toy first mentality in mind, it is time to discuss the issue at hand. A few days ago, Entertainment Weekly revealed how Saban/Lionsgate's Power Rangers will look and it didn't exactly light the world on fire. The fans seemed divided between "Oh man, this is the mature Power Rangers I've always wanted" and "They're all Iron Man." Unfortunately, everyone is kind of right in this situation. Given the design, the upcoming reboot will most likely be a little darker. Hopefully not so dark as to scare kids away or fill it with subjects that will fly over their heads, but it is definitely not being made with kids in mind. Given the sultrier design of Rita Repulsa (thus taking the meaning out of her name) and the Rangers themselves, coupled with the tone of the images released thus far, I'm not expecting anyone in this movie to say "morphinomenal" or indulge in any of the goofiness the series made itself known for. 

The film is wholly an American creation, and thus cannot rely on the popularity of a currently running series like the first movie did, resulting in the "Iron Man" suit design. Expect a line of light up chest figures or maybe the red, blue, and black rangers in a set in the same aisle as next year's Marvel films. That's also why these rangers and zords, look alien and Transformer-esque. Saban is merely reflecting what is popular now, just as they did back when the first movie released. Although these designs are reminiscent of the original movie's suits, they lose what makes the property distinct. As production chases current pop culture and design, it further digs itself into a hole. Power Rangers is trying so hard to stand out among the rest of the toys, it is doing the exact opposite. 

If the merchandise does not catch kids' attention, it's pretty much a death sentence. The first film may make enough money to warrant a sequel (due to folks appeasing a curiosity), but without the toy sales and child audience that keeps the TV show afloat, franchise potential will stagnate. That's why it is so important to keep the light and airy feel of the show intact. If you make the property more "grounded" or "mature" in order to appeal to the rose colored glasses of fans my age, it will lose the goofy stuff which made it fun to re-enact at playtime. One of my favorite memories is playing with the Power Morpher and Blaster as a kid and pretending I was cool enough to be a "teenager with attitude." It was because everything was so brightly colored, and admittedly stupid, my parents didn't mind that I was actually watching a show with a lot of violence. Blood replaced by sparks, the kung-fu lite fight choreography with guys in suits was deemed "TV-Y7," and the people therein were talented and attractive enough to draw attention. But that is not the path the reboot is headed in. Instead it is already closing itself off. 


In the reboot, the suits are definitely not appealing to little girls. The reboot design may take on the tightness of the original spandex (replaced by the alien technology the reboot is pushing), but they're far too detailed. The boob plates and heels are definitely un-nerving and little girls are way smarter than that. Since the pink and yellow rangers look so feminine, it's going to mean boys won't be further encouraged to buy them. Rather than the collect them all frenzy of the original Rangers, boys are only going to want those rangers specifically marketed with them in mind. If the pink and yellow Power Ranger figures don't sell, they will be produced less and will even get less character development as a result. Since this trend has a precedent in the way the TV show has been marketed, it only worries me more so.




As it stands, the Power Rangers reboot won't appeal to anyone. Not even adding the original show's theme to a trailer will save it. 

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Nick Valdez
Nick ValdezNews Editor   gamer profile





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